Beyond Viagra: A Commonsense Guide to Building a Healthy Sexual Relationship for Both Men and Women - Softcover

Melchiode, Gerald A.; Sloan, Bill

9780805060607: Beyond Viagra: A Commonsense Guide to Building a Healthy Sexual Relationship for Both Men and Women

Softcover

ISBN 10: 080506060X ISBN 13: 9780805060607

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co, 1999

After the hype, a thoughtful, responsible approach to improving sexual function.

The viagra revolution is here, and while the drug truly can help many of the millions of Americans who seek it, it can create as many problems as it can cure. Here is the first book to help readers-men and women together-understand some of the common root causes of sexual dysfunction and determine whether the quick fix of Viagra will help them, or possibly make their situation worse. Dr. Melchiode, who participated in some of the early clinical trials of Viagra, gives the reader a tour of the sexual psyche, pointing out the obstacles and pitfalls posed by treatment, whether with drugs or through other means. Most important, he makes the critical point that men must involve their partners in the treatment, and offers sage advice on how to do so in a positive and loving manner. He also discusses such thorny issues as the role of the physician, the relationship with one's insurer or HMO, and the potential impact of Viagra-both good and bad-on male-female relations, and society in general.

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About the Author:

Gerald Melchiode, M.D., is a professor of psychiatry and lecturer at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas and has been a therapist in human sexuality for more than thirty years. Bill Sloan is a former award-winning reporter for the Dallas Times, and a Pulitzer Prize nominee.

From Kirkus Reviews:

A blast of good sense from a knowledgeable source, this puts Viagra in a proper perspective as a treatment for impotence. Psychiatrist Melchiode has been a therapist in human sexuality for more than 30 years, and he knows a real step forward when he sees one: when used as part of a well-thought-out therapeutic plan, Viagra can be key in relieving what he rightly terms the ``soul-wrenching condition'' of impotence, and in repairing ``all-important human relationships that support our whole social structure.'' For sufferers, Melchiode explains what Viagra is and how it works, and discusses the diagnosis and evaluation of sexual dysfunction in men (the first step is always a thorough medical exam and consultation with a urologist). He then goes into depth on the various causes of impotence, complete with realistic and instructive case historiesalways with an eye as to whether Viagra would be an appropriate treatment. Melchiode makes his case neatly: the physical, emotional, and social are all inevitably intertwined, and in the hands of an experienced practitioner, Viagra is a crucial part of treatment. But no drug will ever ``serve as an antidote for deceit, divorce, and empty or disrupted lives.'' -- Copyright �1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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